gaxownOkay, Let’s Talk Scones!
Alright, confession time. Saturday mornings in my house used to be a bit… well, let’s just say getting everyone fed and happy felt like climbing Mount Everest in flip flops. Until I stumbled upon making (and perfecting, if I do say so myself!) these easy lemon blueberry scones. Now, the smell of them baking is basically the official weekend starting gun. Seriously, my kids magically appear the second they catch a whiff! It’s become a bit of a tradition, and honestly, one I’m pretty chuffed about.
Why You’ll Be Making These All The Time
Look, I’m no fancy pastry chef, okay? I need recipes that are quick, don’t use a million weird ingredients, and actually *work*. That’s why I adore these scones.
- They’re genuinely easy: No weird techniques, promise. If you can mix stuff in a bowl, you can make these.
- That Flavor Combo!: Zesty bright lemon and those sweet little bursts of blueberry? Come on! It’s just sunshine in a baked good. My family goes absolutely nuts for them (especially my husband, who usually claims he ‘doesn’t like scones’ – liar liar pants on fire!).
- So Forgiving: Even if your measurements are a *little* off, or you get distracted mid mix (hello, toddler interruption!), they usually still turn out great. I once completely forgot the sugar in the dough – added it to the glaze instead, worked out okay actually!
- Perfect for… Anytime?: Breakfast? Yes. Brunch? Definitely. Afternoon snack with a cuppa tea? Oh heck yes. Dessert? Why not!
Gather Your Bits and Bobs (Ingredients)
Here’s what you’ll need. Don’t stress about brands too much, mostly.
- All Purpose Flour: About 2 cups (around 250g). I often use King Arthur Flour (this one here), I just think it gives a good result, but honestly, any supermarket brand is totally fine.
- Sugar: 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar for the scones. Maybe a touch less if your blueberries are super sweet. And you’ll need powdered sugar for the glaze later.
- Baking Powder: 1 tablespoon. Please, please check the date! Make sure its fresh, old baking powder leads to sad, flat scones.
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon. Just regular table salt is fine.
- COLD Unsalted Butter: 1/2 cup (113g or one stick), cut into little cubes. And yes, it *needs* to be cold. Like, straight form the fridge. This is non negotiable for flaky layers!
- Heavy Cream or Milk: 1/2 cup (120ml). I *prefer* heavy cream because it makes them richer and more tender, but whole milk works fine too. Sometimes I use buttermilk if I have it leftover.
- Large Egg: Just one!
- Lemon: You need the zest of one whole lemon (get right in there, zest is flavor!) and about 2 tablespoons of juice. More juice for the glaze later.
- Blueberries: 1 cup. Fresh are glorious if you can get them. Frozen work great too, just don’t thaw them first – toss ’em in frozen solid.
- For the Glaze (Optional but Recommended!): About 1 cup powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice.
Right Then, Let’s Bake Some Scones!
Okay, deep breath. It’s easier than you think.
- Get the Oven Ready: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (makes cleanup way easier, trust me).
- Dry Stuff First: In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Get it nicely combined.
- Butter Time: Add the COLD butter cubes to the flour mixture. Now, cut it in. You can use a pastry blender (my favorite method), two knives (like your grandma might have done), or even your fingertips. Work kinda quickly so the butter doesn’t melt. You want the mixture to look like coarse crumbs or little peas. Don’t make it smooth like sand!
- Wet Stuff Next: In a smaller bowl or a measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream (or milk), the egg, the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Combine (Gently!): Make a little well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the well. Now, mix *just* until the dough starts to come together. Use a fork or a spatula. Please, please, whatever you do, DON’T OVERMIX! Overmixing = tough scones. It will look shaggy and maybe a bit sticky. That’s perfect!
- Add the Berries: Gently fold in the blueberries. Try not to smoosh them too much, especially if using fresh.
- Shape ‘Em Up: Tip the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently bring it together and pat it into a circle, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Don’t knead it like bread! Just pat pat pat.
- Cut ‘Em Out: Cut the circle into 8 wedges, like cutting a pizza. Or you can use a round biscuit cutter if you prefer that shape, just gather the scraps gently and re pat.
- Bake!: Carefully place the wedges onto your prepared baking sheet, giving them a little space. You can brush the tops with a bit more cream if you want extra golden color (I usually do). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re lightly golden brown on top and cooked through. A toothpick inserted should come out clean (ish – might hit a blueberry!).
- Cool & Glaze: Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool a bit more. While they’re cooling (this is usually where I sneak a slightly-too-hot taste test), whisk together the powdered sugar and enough lemon juice (start with 2 tbsp, add more if needed) to make a drizzly glaze. Drizzle it all over the cooled scones. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before diving in.
Little Notes From My Kitchen
- If your dough feels impossibly sticky when you tip it out, just sprinkle a *tiny* bit more flour on your hands and the work surface. Don’t go overboard though.
- Seriously, the cold butter thing is real. Warm butter melts and makes the scones spread instead of rise up flaky. I learned this the hard way (pancake scones are sad scones).
- Don’t worry if they don’t look perfectly uniform. Rustic is charming! Mine never look *exactly* the same twice.
Fun Variations I’ve Tried (and One Fail)
Once you’ve got the basic easy lemon blueberry scones down, you can play!
- White Chocolate Chip: Throw in half a cup of white chocolate chips with the blueberries. SO good.
- Orange Cranberry: Swap the lemon zest/juice for orange, and use dried cranberries instead of blueberries. Great for autumn!
- Lime and Coconut? Okay, this was the fail. I tried lime zest and adding shredded coconut… Texture was weird, flavor was just… not right. Maybe it was just me? We won’t be repeating that experiment!
What You’ll Need (Equipment Wise)
Nothing too fancy! A big bowl, whisk, measuring cups/spoons, a baking sheet. A pastry blender is nice for the butter but forks work. A zester makes life easier – those Microplane ones (like these ones) are fab, but the small holes on a box grater do the job too, just mind your fingers! Parchment paper isn’t *essential* but it saves washing up, so… essential in my book!
Speaking of tools, I remember my Nan used to have this ancient, slightly bent pastry blender she swore by. Probably older than me! It’s funny the things we get attached to in the kitchen, isn’t it?
Storing Your Lovely Scones
Store leftover scones (if you HAVE leftovers!) in an airtight container at room temperature. They are definitely, absolutely best on the day they’re baked, maybe slightly warm from the oven *chef’s kiss*. But they’re still pretty tasty the next day, maybe zap one in the microwave for 10 seconds. Though honestly, in my house they rarely see lunchtime the next day!
How We Like to Eat Them
Just as they are is perfect, honestly. But sometimes, if I’m feeling extra fancy or we have guests, I’ll serve them with a dollop of clotted cream (hard to find sometimes, but worth it – Devon Cream Company is the classic!) and maybe a little lemon curd. It’s pure indulgence.
Pro Tips Learned the Hard Way
- Don’t Overmix!: I know I keep saying it, but it’s the #1 scone sin! I once tried to get the dough really smooth like cookie dough – big mistake. They were tough as old boots. Lumpy and shaggy is GOOD. Embrace the rustic!
- Check Your Baking Powder!: Seriously, I once used powder that was lurking in the back of the cupboard for who knows how long. Result? Scones that barely rose an inch. Check that expiry date, people!
- Don’t Add Too Much Liquid: Start with the amount in the recipe. If it seems *really* dry, add a tiny splash more cream/milk, but usually the shaggy look is right. Too wet = sticky mess.
Quick FAQs (Questions I Get Asked!)
- Can I use frozen blueberries?
- Yep, absolutely! As I mentioned, just toss them in straight from the freezer. Don’t thaw them, or they’ll bleed purple everywhere and make your dough soggy. Which, okay, looks kind of cool, but affects the texture.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time?
- Hmm, I haven’t had the *best* luck with this. You *could* maybe freeze the cut, unbaked scones on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen (adding a few extra minutes baking time). But honestly? They come together so quickly, I really think they’re best made fresh. Takes maybe 15 mins prep?
- Are these scones very sweet?
- I don’t think so! The lemon gives a nice tart balance. The glaze adds sweetness, obviously, so you could make the glaze thinner or skip it if you prefer less sweet. You could also probably reduce the sugar in the scone dough itself to 1/3 cup if you really want.
- Help! My scones spread out flat!
- Ah, okay – culprit is almost always the butter wasn’t cold enough, or you overmixed the dough, developing too much gluten. Make sure that butter is chilled solid, and mix *just* until combined!
gaxown
